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Alignment
This is not mandated, but is my favorite article/paper that I've seen on the topic of (RPG) alignments. It makes sense. It's proactive. It's more of a guideline and helpful way make a character more active and less reactive. This is completely based off an article from Dragon Magazine #173, "Get Your Priorities Straight" by Royce Wicks, condensed by Dave. Intro Each alignment is broken down into two larger groups: Structure and Morality Within the Alignment idea “Structure” refers to the usual Lawful, Neutral, and Chaotic spaces while “Morality” refers to Good, Neutral, and Evil. Within the “Structures” you can define them with two strategies: Priority List (Lawful) and Superstitions or Principles (Chaotic). Both of these strategies have a framework, or ruleset governing how they can function with each of the moralities having a variation on those rulesets. As is probably noticed, there is no “Structure” strategy for Neutral. The reason for this is a Neutral “Structure” will straddle both strategies, the breakdown of which will be elaborated on at the end. Structure Priority List (Lawful) Below are the lists you should follow when creating Lawful characters. In the lists below, bold means they have to follow this sequence but not necessarily this position as other priorities can move around them within their own restrictions. The restrictions of the other priorities are noted in parenthesis next to them. Good #   Deity (above comrades) # Sovereign #   Homeland (anywhere) # Comrades or the Adventuring Party # Race #   Family or Clan (below comrades) # Self (always last) Evil # Self (always present and first) # Sovereign #   Deity (anywhere) #   Comrades or the Adventuring Party (above Race) # Race #   Homeland (below Sovereign) # Family or Clan Neutral NOTE: This list cannot resemble either above lists #   Race (anywhere) #   Family or Clan (anywhere) #   Deity (anywhere) # Comrades or the Adventuring Party (must be in the middle) #   Self (anywhere) #   Sovereign (anywhere) #   Homeland (anywhere) Superstition or Principle (Chaotic) There are seven categories of superstitions, listed below. Chaotic characters must have one of each of those categories. For each level the character will add one new entry, or obligation, of any of the superstitions based on events, situation, or backstory in the game. # The actions and responses of the deities # The movements of the land, heaven, or seas # The ingestion of (or abstinence from) certain foods or drink # The adornment of armor or apparel # The association with a particular race, class, or sex; # The favored (or unfavored) use of a weapon or spell # Any mystical symbol, color, number, shape, plant, mineral, or spell. Good The superstitions of a good character must be formed as a belief that causes good luck for 6 of the 7, the remaining one being formed as a belief that it avoids bad luck. Evil Evil characters are just the opposite of good characters in that there are 6 superstitions formed as a belief they avoid bad luck and one that brings good luck. Neutral This is an even(ish) split of the bad to good in whichever ratio of 3 to 4 the player decides. Balanced (Neutral) This structure is a split of both the previous structures into each morality. This means that each morality must have 7 total entries with an even split of 3 to 4 of any of the priorities and any of the superstitions listed above in which ever ratio the player decides. Priorities List For the priorities chosen, each morality must follow all the same rules as they apply, excluding Neutral. True-Neutral priorities must include “Self” which must be in the center with 2-3 more around that. Superstition With creating the list, each morality will look just the same as described above with fewer total entries. This means the ratio of good to bad luck will be one to the remaining based on the morality. Example: Good will have 2-3 bringing luck and 1 avoiding bad luck while Evil will have 2-3 avoiding bad luck and 1 bringing luck. True neutral will split this evenly, per the player’s decision. Per the description of "Superstition" above, the application of new entries per level applies on odd levels only for all moralities.